PowerBooks in Paris?

[Photorun]

By "not so far" if you mean perhaps in the first half of next year... yes. This year... no.

PS I wasn't one of the people who said your G5 1.6 wasn't going to happen, I had figured something like this since November 2002 after reading the IBM white paper on the 970/Power4/5

 

[iLife]

Originally posted by lord_flash
But it is true that the G4, even allowing for the fact MHz (or GHz if you've got a PC ) are misleading, are behind PCs of equivalent financial cost.

http://www.cpuscorecard.com/

If you don't admit that, then nothing you say can be taken seriously.

Also, the Centrinos do very, very well with 'just' 1.6GHz.

"Centrino" is a wireless adapter based on the 802.11b standard... it is not a processor. It's the equivelent of an airport card.

You're thinking a Celeron Chip, and i wouldn't give my grandfather a computer with that chip in it.

this is wrong, i'm a moron, go fig

 

[macphoria]

This news better be true. 12" and 17" also better get updates. 1GHz G4 for 12" and 1.25+ for 17". And hopefully 12" will get L3 Cache?

 

[daveL]

Originally posted by iLife
"Centrino" is a wireless adapter based on the 802.11b standard... it is not a processor. It's the equivelent of an airport card.

You're thinking a Celeron Chip, and i wouldn't give my grandfather a computer with that chip in it.

Sorry, but you are mistaken. Centrino is:

o Intel Pentium M processor (NOT Celeron);
o Intel 855 Chipset; and
o Intel PRO/Wireless 2100 network.

This info is from Intel's Web site.

 

[NicoMan]

Originally posted by bertagert
They didn't release anything better because the G5 was coming out.

On the one hand, it makes sense: Apple would do like last year when (beginning of Nov) they speedbumped iBooks and PBooks and then released 2 new PBs 2 months later at MWSF. Maybe...
But on the other hand: it doesn't make any sense at all. Why would Apple intentionnally forget about PowerBook sales (inventories ridiculously low to inexistant for some time) during the summer and for the back-to-school season, IF they had the oportunity to update (speedbump) the range earlier?
I might be missing something here but if they were close to a final version of the PBG5, they wouldn't bother with a PBG4 update, UNLESS they couldn't do it earlier, which seems the general consensus (Moto's fault, assembly's fault, who knows?).
Even though I agree that we are not too far from a PBG5, I think Apple would have updated the PBG4 line a lot earlier if they had been able too (July, maybe?) to generate sales for that Q3 2003. Now I'd love to be pleasantly surprised by Apple next week with a PBG5, but my (beer-)gut feeling is we won't see those announced before MWSF (and we won't get those before March or something...)

 

[TreeTruckie]

12" PowerBooks

But will I be able to plug a 23" Cinema Display into the updated 12" PB?

 

[iLife]

Originally posted by daveL
Sorry, but you are mistaken. Centrino is:

o Intel Pentium M processor (NOT Celeron);
o Intel 855 Chipset; and
o Intel PRO/Wireless 2100 network.

This info is from Intel's Web site.

ok...

 

[dilg]

[please delete]

 

[bertagert]

Originally posted by NicoMan

Even though I agree that we are not too far from a PBG5, I think Apple would have updated the PBG4 line a lot earlier if they had been able too (July, maybe?) to generate sales for that Q3 2003. Now I'd love to be pleasantly surprised by Apple next week with a PBG5, but my (beer-)gut feeling is we won't see those announced before MWSF (and we won't get those before March or something...)

Good points Nico.

I was thinking that maybe they had nothing to speed bump up to and hence my G5 theories. Maybe I'll rethink my previous stuff....na, I'll stick with what I got and see what happens. I don't care if I'm right or wrong.

 

[RichP]

Realistically, I think we will see the new 15 next week, with a 1.25, which will find its way into 17 as well.

Next Jan, we will see a G5 powerbook, for spring delivery; I have used the 1.8, and it seems in usual usage it outdoes a dually G4.

thats my story and im sticking to it.

 

[NicoMan]

Originally posted by bertagert
I don't care if I'm right or wrong.

Me neither. All this idle speculation helps us pass the time until we actually get that PB update, when I can hopefully replace my iBook with a 12" PB that is a lot more than a left-hand warmer (or maybe a 15".... aaaargh, the suspense is killing me. Or should I get an iMac, or a PMG5????, or all of the above?).

 

[MacsRgr8]

Any idea why Steve would "introduce" new/updated PowerBooks at MacWorld Paris, and NOT the iMacs/iPods?
Could be:
a) "Year of the Laptop"... So, Steve is living up to his own words he spoke back in January (must present laptops this year)
b) The 15" will be Aluminium, thus a new model, which Steve thinks is important enough to introduce on stage.
c) The update is truly significant.... <whispers "G5">

 

[mania]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Dear G5 PB posters,

Originally posted by crees!
People make this assertion because a clocked down (1.2Ghz) G5 dissipates roughly the same amount of heat as the current G4 chips. That is why.

Let it go please! no one is predicting a g5 exept you wannabees - oh i hope there will be a g5 powerbook so i can open word faster. everyone in the know says g4. deal with it already.

 

[bertagert]

Originally posted by NicoMan
or maybe a 15".... aaaargh, the suspense is killing me. Or should I get an iMac, or a PMG5????, or all of the above?).

I'm waiting on the new 15". I'll be getting that and a 23" screen. I just want a little more uumph then the current 15".

Hope someone produces a docking station for these new Pbooks. Pluging in the wires all the time would stink. Well, my fingers are crossed. I've waited almost a full year for an update. Even a few more months isn't going to kill me. Lets hope they do come out on the 16th and they have more than 1.25 GHZ. If so, I'll be buying

 

[greenstork]

I'd venture to guess...

That Apple has waited this long to update PB's for a couple of reasons:

1) Not to take away anything from G5 sales, publicity, etc.

2) To make sure that they sell updated G4's PB's by backing up the pipeline of PB buyers. Since many people have waited so long, there are many folks just chomping at the bit to buy a new PB and waiting on the next update. By keeping people waiting, boom, when they releasae them, they sell like hotcakes. This is why I think PB's will have a G4. They will eeeek out one last big run on G4 PB's and release the G5 PB early next year. Since many have waited so long for this update however, they are likely to buy a new PB, even without a G5.

That said, I think it's a G4. I think they have waited as long as they have because it is a G4 and they want to ensure that they will sell them (instead of people just deciding to wait until the G5). The only way to do that is to make their anticipated buyers hungry. Which, as evidenced from this forum, is quite obvious.

 

[VicMacs]

from where i see it

it does not make sense to bring a g5 processor to a powerbook this soon. I believe that people are gettng to discover the power of the g5 desktop and it would be unbussinesslike (?) to release the same kind of superporcessor on a laptop, this would kill the g5 desktop and apple can't do that when it has not even delivered the first 10,000 orders of this machine...

I expect an update of the 15 inch because it has fallen very much behind of the 17 and 12 inch models, but then again apple will not make it its high end model, because the 17 incher is here for that, to be a high end model.

Maybe the iBooks will see a g4 upgrade... The g3 processor is not up to the panther challenge, even if the graphics card is there, there comes a time where the g3 processor just doesnt cut it... now is that time, but they cant put an 800mhz chip on an ibook when a 12 inch powerbook sports a 867 g4 processor,

So bump them all up, make the 17 inch a 1.4, make the 15 incher 1.25 and the 12 incher 1.0, then move the ibook up to a whatever they have left of the old g4 processors, make the high end ibook a g4 800 and voila you got the 2 great G processors all across the line and everybody is happy.

I dont expect prices to drop. If youre gonna get your mac, you dont care too mucho for a 100 bucks. Theyre well worth that. But now people that wont have to spend more than 1200 dollars will get to work on panther in a very decent way. with a 12 inch ibook running on a g4.

Belive it.... or not.

 

[magitekkn]

Re: from where i see it

Originally posted by VicMacs
it does not make sense to bring a g5 processor to a powerbook this soon. I believe that people are gettng to discover the power of the g5 desktop and it would be unbussinesslike (?) to release the same kind of superporcessor on a laptop, this would kill the g5 desktop and apple can't do that when it has not even delivered the first 10,000 orders of this machine...

I expect an update of the 15 inch because it has fallen very much behind of the 17 and 12 inch models, but then again apple will not make it its high end model, because the 17 incher is here for that, to be a high end model.

Maybe the iBooks will see a g4 upgrade... The g3 processor is not up to the panther challenge, even if the graphics card is there, there comes a time where the g3 processor just doesnt cut it... now is that time, but they cant put an 800mhz chip on an ibook when a 12 inch powerbook sports a 867 g4 processor,

So bump them all up, make the 17 inch a 1.4, make the 15 incher 1.25 and the 12 incher 1.0, then move the ibook up to a whatever they have left of the old g4 processors, make the high end ibook a g4 800 and voila you got the 2 great G processors all across the line and everybody is happy.

I dont expect prices to drop. If youre gonna get your mac, you dont care too mucho for a 100 bucks. Theyre well worth that. But now people that wont have to spend more than 1200 dollars will get to work on panther in a very decent way. with a 12 inch ibook running on a g4.

Belive it.... or not.

I can't think of anything in Panther that is anymore processor hungry on a grand scale than in Jaguar. If anything, friends of mine have said that Panther Betas run faster on their iBooks than Jaguar.

 

[eric67]

not really

Originally posted by daveL
Sorry, but you are mistaken. Centrino is:

o Intel Pentium M processor (NOT Celeron);
o Intel 855 Chipset; and
o Intel PRO/Wireless 2100 network.

This info is from Intel's Web site.

this is true up to now, but Intel plans to release Celeron Centrino; so indeed then Centrino at the end will simply mean with wireless capacities.
Actually it also means processor speed management, so it means that the processor clock when not required goes down, so a 1.6GHz P4M might go 1.0 or even less when there is no intensive request, that is the way that Intel has chosen to extent battery life...

 

[eric67]

one important point for Apple Expo Paris

think many people here forget one point, but a key one.
Steve was announcing the year of portable computer for Apple, probably because info from Motorola were optimistic about the PPC 7457... well now I think it is quite clear that motorola can not deliver large volume of PPC7457...so if there is a speed bump it might be only with the new G4 found in the brand new iMac revision, and to get 1.25GHz in a PB, then you need a bigger cooling system, so you need more space, so expect it only for the 17" (and this is almost sure to happen ), but that's all I think we can postulate here.
as simple as that :
no PPC7457 = no major PBG4 update, at least for the processor.
only solution for Apple : get the G5 working in the PB, which means, control heating and battery life problems... and the latest rumors on that subjects were positive, but not for a release in 1 week....except if Apple engineers and IBM made some miracles...
We should stop expecting the moon from Apple, otherwise we will be disappointed, one should not forget, that most of the tech & dev resources have been lately concentrated on the PM G5, and this was a major shift for Apple.
one week to go

 

[natebailey11]

Re: Something for sure

Originally posted by Maxx Power
Well, i just talked to a apple computers sales man on campus here at university of ottawa, i was wanting to buy a computer. I mentioned to him i'm waiting for a powerbook revision/update, and he says to me, it's coming on tuesday, and he's already got a few in stock, and says for me to be here first thing on tuesday if i want mine.

Did nobody else see this? If there is any validity to this what so ever, wow... immediate shipping. I'm not one to speculate, but I wanted to make sure others saw this so that someone can speculate on it!

 

[panphage]

Re: one important point for Apple Expo Paris

Originally posted by eric67
only solution for Apple : get the G5 working in the PB, which means, control heating and battery life problems... and the latest rumors on that subjects were positive, but not for a release in 1 week....except if Apple engineers and IBM made some miracles...
We should stop expecting the moon from Apple, otherwise we will be disappointed, one should not forget, that most of the tech & dev resources have been lately concentrated on the PM G5, and this was a major shift for Apple.
one week to go

1. Yes, the DESKTOP R&D team was busy working on the PM G5. Meanwhile, G4 development ground to a halt.

Now what do you think the NOTEBOOK R&D team was doing for the last three years while PB development has languished?

2. Powerbooks will not be held back so desktiop sales keep steady. That is absolutely asinine and makes no sense. Companies release products when he product is ready and the market is ready. Losing sales on powerbooks to improve sales on desktops makes 0 sense, especially when profits are higher on notebooks.

3. If the notebook R&D isn't done with a G5 version yet, Steve Jobs will make absolutely no mention of portable machines in Paris. There is nothing compelling about a minor speedbump and updating the 15" to the same specs the 12 and 17 have had for 7 months. There's no dazzle, no PR value, no surprise or pleasure there. Why mention a 25% speedbump to the 15"PB and quietly release the same speedbump in the imacs a week earlier?

 

[Rocketman]

Originally posted by tomf87
-Rocketman

How long have you used your PB? I heard one gentleman say their new PB's last only about a year before needing repair. He stated the case would crack or something along those lines.

Ti400 RevA first month. 1-2001 IIRC

It has some scratches and some of the paint on the bottom is coming off and the rubber legs have long since been hurtfully scraped off by some abuse of mine.

I upgraded the memory to 384k.

The things it needs most are an increased size HD and faster, and a CDRW which I hear http://www.transintl.com/newstuff/index4.cfm can do

I use OS9.2 since most of my workflow is traditional apps. I hear OSX is no faster but when I get my next personal Mac I am not replacing but adding so I can run whatever OSX is most recent at the time. I intend to do some software development with that system that I am pre-writing now.

I for one would find a lighted keyboard a godsend and I never bothered with a USB light dongle.

One factor is the G400 is one of the cooler running PB's of all time. The 7457 ought to improve on that and the G5 Rev B even more. I fins that the option to reduce speed is one worth implementing for "most tasks" then reenable high speed when it is really needed.

I use it both on the lap and on a desk. I suggest if using a desk to put it on a short riser for airflow. Anything from a mouse pad to a 1/2" thick 8x12 board.

Mine is cracked near the CD frive door possibly from resting an arm near it. That is somewhat badly designed. If that cracked I suspect other cracks along that "rim part" are likely with even ild abuse of the system. I have dropped mine off a table at least a half dozen times with no detectible effects.

Now that it is old the screen has developed an intermittend vertical red line on the display that is modified in presence by display angle. Intermittant display witing prob no doubt. It couldn't be from dropping it several times could it?

If I were to give Apple some free advise, it would be to make spare parts available at a cheap price so older PB users can become computer repair hobbiests with rim parts, keyboard, connection door, battery, and even main body panels.

I find that Apple users buy new Macs not simply because their old computer is old, but becaus the new tech is just so cool. I would think parts sales cheap would encourage 2nd Mac ownership by existing leading egde G5 buyers.

Rocketman

 

[Belly-laughs]

So, you´re in the market for a PowerBook...

I only wonder why my local Apple re-seller walks around in town with a huge grin on his face.

It really annoys me. Maybe he knows...

 

[new user]

i'm still waiting

i'm still waiting despite the fact that i promised to buy late august. just couldn't stand seeing an updated pb a month after i buy mine, plus there were issues with the current line that i hope an update would remedy.

nonetheless, isn't it indisputable that pb will be updated? i don't remember inventory being rundown to the current levels unless an update is forthcoming. not in june, july, or august. but now, it seems widely accepted and with a concerted effort that there is no reason to maintain anything but for as needed stock.

doesn't this also bold well for the fact that shipment will be soon after announcement?

or at least i am hoping all the above is true.

 

[VicMacs]

Re: Re: from where i see it

Originally posted by magitekkn
I can't think of anything in Panther that is anymore processor hungry on a grand scale than in Jaguar. If anything, friends of mine have said that Panther Betas run faster on their iBooks than Jaguar.

ive tested panther 7B53 on a powerbook G4 500 and it does run faster than when it had jaguar with everything loaded on it.. but most people have panther installed with maybe a couple of apps but nothing else.. because nobody wants to have their files on a beta system.. but what about when you have everything loaded on your G3.. will it be snappy enough? I'm only saying that imho the G3 has been maxed out, it's time to move on up. And I believe panther was developped for the architecture of the g5 processor and the G4 processor.. Becasue when you run jaguar on a g4 and compare it to a g3 the difference is wide... I don't know... they dissed the imac g3 a while ago, it only seems fitting to let the g3 ibook go... leave it there for a while until they run out and it could sell cheap for like 700-900.. then put it to rest and get everyone on a g4 ... because I don't think that the g5 laptop is gonna be here anytime soon... a year from now maybe? apple has to sell things in order to better them... they cant just update machines every 6 months and processors every year...